


Past and Present

by Jakathine



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky Barnes Recovering, Bucky Barnes Remembers, Emotional, Fluff and Angst, Huddling For Warmth, M/M, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Pre-WS bucky barnes - Freeform, Promises, References to Illness, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-13
Updated: 2014-10-13
Packaged: 2018-02-21 00:17:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2448344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jakathine/pseuds/Jakathine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky remembers taking care of pre-serum!Steve and feels conflicted that he may not be able to take care of (modern) post-serum Steve in the same way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Past and Present

In the dim light of a shoddy looking apartment there stood a man with sharply trimmed hair, a brown forties style uniform with the hat tucked under his left arm, and his dark brown-black shoes which glistened in the faint light. He stood at the edge of a bed that was barely bigger than that of a cot looking down at a frail, blond haired waif of a person who tossed and turned and intermittently coughed. The man in the brown uniform dropped to the knees when the light coughing turned quickly into sharp ragged hacks that had the blonde youth sit up to reach for a handkerchief to cover his mouth.

“Bucky..?” came a weak voice as the coughing receded.

“I’m here, Stevie.” Bucky replied, gently stroking his friend’s back before he helped ease him back down into his bed.

“What’re you doin’ here. Thought you were with that dame…” Steve muttered, his voice tinged with bitterness.

Bucky made an incoherent noise then stated, “Wasn’t that interestin’.” He touched Steve’s cheek, ‘Sides, good thing I came home anyways. You’re as cold as the wind’s fingers.”

Steve shrugged partially then stopped due to the effort, “Ain’t nothin’ I’ve not had before.”

Bucky eyed Steve cautiously then took the handkerchief from his hand. Upon opening it Bucky saw the smattering of blood staining the crème-white fabric and frowned. Steve went to pluck it from Bucky’s hand when Bucky moved to take both of Steve’s bony fingers between his much larger warm palms.

“I’ll start staying in more, Stevie. I can’t leave you alone like this.” Bucky promised, sealing his promise by kissing all of Steve’s fingers before kissing his forehead.

“I’m not that delicate.” Steve grumbled, his face creasing with annoyance as he snatched his hands out of Bucky’s and balled the handkerchief back down onto his chest.

Bucky stayed crouched for a moment, dumbfounded momentarily but unsurprised at Steve’s words before he stood and peeled off his uniform, neatly folding each piece and resting his hat on top and placing the pile onto their shared dresser. His arms swooped underneath Steve to lift him off his small bed and into his arms.

“Hey!” Steve protested.

“Shh.” Bucky reprimanded as he carried Steve to his slightly larger bed across the room and placed him gently down before sliding in next to him and wrapping his arms around Steve protectively and pressing his larger frame to the back of Steve’s so that as much body heat as possible could transfer.

Steve hunched up in resistance to Bucky’s unwelcome move but soon relaxed when the warmth Bucky gave off begun to seep into his very core.

Across the room, in a darkened corner, a man stood and watched with tears pricking his eyes. A glinting metallic left arm reached out towards the pair but they shimmered before his eyes and were replaced with an empty bed in a large unfamiliar room.

“Buck! Bucky! Where are you?” a voice shouted as footsteps thundered closer.

The metal hand was still caught mid-reach when the owner of the voice opened the door.

“There you are, Bucky.” Steve said with a sigh of relief.

Bucky turned towards Steve just as a solitary tear slid from his right eye.

Steve touched Bucky’s metal shoulder and then kissed Bucky on the cheek, “Another memory?”

Bucky looked down and took Steve’s hands in his own. Hands which were big and warm and not bony nor cold.

“You were sick, a lot. I took care of you.” Bucky said slowly, his eyes ascending to meet Steve’s, “I would pick you up and put you in bed with me to keep you warm because you were cold all the time.”

“Yes, you would.” Steve confirmed, bringing Bucky’s hands up to his mouth to kiss along the flesh and metal fingers, “And I’m convinced that’s why I lived as long as I did.”

“I can’t take care of you, like before… ‘m not needed.” Bucky said softy.

“That’s not true, whatsoever.” Steve argued, kissing Bucky’s fingers again the bringing Bucky into a close hug, “You take care of me every day and I take care of you. We old folks gotta look out for each other.” At that Steve laughed and tilted Bucky’s head up to bump their noses together, “Yeah?”

Bucky smiled slightly and stood up on his tip toes to bump his nose against Steve’s, “Yeah. So despite you being as you are you wouldn’t mind me taking care of you then?”

“Not a bit.” Steve assured.

“Okay, then.” Bucky declared before he detangled himself from Steve’s hug long enough to pick Steve up and plop him gingerly onto the bed like what he remembered doing before.

Steve laid still and watched while Bucky undressed and folded his shirt and jeans and placed them on the bedside table before he crawled into bed behind Steve and wrapped his arm around Steve’s waist and pressed his chest up to Steve’s back.

“No matter what happens I’ll take care of you, Stevie.” Bucky vowed as he planted a kiss on the back of Steve’s neck, “Always and forever.”

 


End file.
